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What is the SFG20 standard?

 

SFG20 is the industry standard for building maintenance specification. Its extensive library of schedules covers more than 70 different asset types, plus the fabric of the building itself.

Created in 1990, in response to the need for a standard that would drive legal compliance, SFG20 is used by organisations in a wide range of sectors, spanning healthcare, education, government, retail, residential - and many more-to ensure safe, legal and competent building maintenance.

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What is the scope of the SFG20 standard?

Search or browse over 1,000 detailed schedules, covering all aspects of building management—from Building Fabric to Catering and Healthcare—all regularly updated to reflect the latest legislation.

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Who updates the SFG20 standard and how often?

 
  • There can be 100s of changes to legislation, regulation, standards and codes of practise per month.
  • Our highly experienced and accredited Technical Authoring Team analyse all relevant regulations, legislation, standards and codes of best practise and continually update the SFG20 Standard to keep you compliant.
  • Updates and revisions to the SFG20 standard are communicated to subscribers through technical bulletins and schedule updates. 
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"SFG20 has given us the knowledge that we are doing things correctly, as well as which tasks we have to focus on".

Mathew Houghton, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Mathew saved the cost of hiring an additional Compliance Officer (about £50,000), and 20% of his weekly time.

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“SFG20 is the cornerstone of how we put our proposals together. We never want to promise a service that we are unable to deliver, and SFG20 helps us to provide an exact specification of works”.

James Richardson, Commercial Manager at Gratte Brothers.

James estimates SFG20 saves him 20% on maintenance costs.

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Who we can help?

SFG20 helps building owners, property managers and FM service providers/contractors to fulfil their legal obligations and responsibilities through our guidance that aligns with legislation and best practice.

Building owners are accountable to ensure the right things are done at the right time and for the right reasons. SFG20 can help to mitigate the many risks of non-compliance.

Building owners must:

  • Ensure buildings are safe, including fixing historical safety defects
  • Ensure maintenance is carried out
  • Stay up to date with legislation and compliance regulations

Property Managers must:

  • Coordinate and schedule regular maintenance tasks
  • Handle emergency repairs and maintenance issues
  • Manage contracts relating to maintenance
  • Stay up to date with legislation and compliance regulations

Service Providers/Contractors must:

  • Hold up health and safety when carrying out maintenance
  • Ensure all workers have the required skills, knowledge, training, and experience to carry out the maintenance

Compliant and Cost-Effective Building Maintenance

 

The SFG20 standard offers a comprehensive list of maintenance tasks, each colour-coded according to their level of criticality.

This allows you to distinguish between statutory (legally required), and non-statutory tasks (not legally required), a major advantage when deciding how to prioritise PPM on a limited budget.

SFG20 guidance also includes recommended task frequencies and the skill set required for each task, meaning that users can ensure and demonstrate that their maintenance tasks have been completed by a competent person for the job.

 

How do I access the SFG20 Standard?

 

You access the SFG20 Standard through our software solution Facilities-iQ.

 

 

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Compliant and Cost-Effective Building Maintenance

 

The SFG20 standard offers a comprehensive list of maintenance tasks, each colour-coded according to their level of criticality.

This allows you to distinguish between statutory (legally required), and non-statutory tasks (not legally required), a major advantage when deciding how to prioritise PPM on a limited budget.

SFG20 guidance also includes recommended task frequencies and the skill set required for each task, meaning that users can ensure and demonstrate that their maintenance tasks have been completed by a competent person for the job.

 

How do I access the SFG20 Standard?

 

You access the SFG20 Standard through our software solution Facilities-iQ.

SFG20 FAQs

Is SFG20 a CAFM system?
No, SFG20 is not a CAFM (Computer-Aided Facility Management) system. CAFM systems are great at planning works but they need to be told what work needs to happen. This is where SFG20 comes in. Our maintenance schedules are broken down into tasks, each with their own colour-coded rating, so you can easily see which tasks need to be completed by law and which do not. SFG20 content can be integrated seamlessly with all FM systems, which reduces time taken to manually update your operating systems.
What does SFG stand for?

SFG stands for "Service and Facilities Group." This acronym encapsulates the core purpose and function of the SFG20 standard. It represents a systematic and structured approach to maintaining buildings and their assets, helping to ensure they remain safe, compliant, and in optimal working condition.

When was SFG20 created?

SFG20 was created in 1990 by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA). Since its inception, it has been recognised as the industry standard for building maintenance specification. The standard comprises an extensive library of thousands of maintenance schedules, covering more than 70 equipment types.

Why was SFG20 created?
SFG20 was established to provide a standardised approach to building maintenance, ensuring facilities management professionals have access to clear, compliant guidance for maintenance tasks, thus simplifying compliance with legislation.
How can SFG20 help with compliance management?
SFG20 maintenance schedules contain tasks which are all colour-coded. Red tasks are statutory and should be completed to achieve compliance. Amber tasks are not required by law but, in many ways, are no less important and, by completing them, you will mitigate the risks of unexpected failure, leading to costly downtime.
What are the benefits of using SFG20?
SFG20 helps organisations to achieve building maintenance compliance. By following SFG20 maintenance schedules and task guidance, users can focus their resources on completing statutory tasks and then take a risk base approach to the maintenance of their other assets. SFG20's team of technical authors stay on top of all legislation, regulations and best practice so you don't have to, saving you time and providing peace of mind.
What makes SFG20 different from other FM software?

SFG20 integrates with all other FM systems, such as CAFM (Computer Aided Facilities Management) and CMMS (Computerised Maintenance Management Systems). Think of SFG20 providing the 'what needs to be done' to the CAFM systems so they can go and plan the required work.

How does SFG20 integrate with existing systems?
The SFG20 standard is accessed via Facilities-iQ, a powerful software solution which can be integrated with all FM systems. Facilities-iQ provides users with automated update notifications when the SFG20 standard is updated. The process of reviewing and accepting updates is simple and eliminates the need for manual data entry. This integration enhances compliance and operational efficiency.
Does SFG20 provide training for new users?
Yes, SFG20 provides comprehensive training through its online Learning Lab, which includes easy-to-follow videos to help users understand and make the most of its features. On-line instructor led courses are also included within the cost of your software license. 

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